Skipjack Joe
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Coilover shock height adjustment
The new Sway-a-way coilovers I bought for my tacoma raise the vehicle higher than I like. There is a tool provided to raise and drop their height.
From appearance it looks as though this is done by compressing the coil to lift the vehicle and releasing the coil to drop the height.
Assuming that that is how the mechanism works, aren't you actually affecting the stiffness of the ride by making these height adjustments? Another
words, if I lower the vehicle will it become less stable by riding on springs with reduced tension?
I'm including a video of how these height adjustments are made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9Jbhg3P_g
Thanks for your advice on this.
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woody with a view
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higher the perch the less dampening. I run Bilstien 5100's on the middle notch which raised the front end +/- 3/4". the ride is just a bit stiffer
than the soft stock ride. I used to plow into the far side of vados, now I just roll right thru.
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rts551
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The spring tension should be the same. It is just extending or compressing the shock. ie the shock gets longer or shorter but the spring stays the
same. this is accomplished by changing the location of the perch. (stiffness changed because of the shock...I have the Bilstiens as well).
Now that said, what will change when changing rides height is the geometry of the front end and you may need an alignment.
(We do this all the time on motorcycles and ATVs).
[Edited on 4-22-2015 by rts551]
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Skipjack Joe
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The videos on most coilovers show separate perches for preloading the spring and raising the car. But these high end coilovers have one perch. I am
going to assume that it extends the shock and has no effect on the coil tension.
Perhaps I can do this adjustment on my own after the move to asuncion. Looks like I have to raise the vehicle.
[Edited on 4-22-2015 by Skipjack Joe]
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rts551
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Igor. This photo should help illustrate how the springs sits and moves the shock.
Yes. raise the truck to take some tension off the spring.
[img] [/img]
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woody with a view
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Like was mentioned, if the shock/coil assembly is removed you need an alignment. If you can adjust on the truck I think you are okay with no new
alignment.
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rts551
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woody, the alignment is needed regardless if changed on the front.
THe reason being as the truck is raised or lowered the camber changes.
if ou only change it 1/4 inch, probably no big deal.
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woody with a view
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David K
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... and for a whole lot more, one sample: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/331454-sway-away...
This is just one of a hundred posts on your question... Here is the forum home page (like Baja Nomad only MUCH bigger): http://www.tacomaworld.com/
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Skipjack Joe
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Quote: Originally posted by rts551  | Igor. This photo should help illustrate how the springs sits and moves the shock.
Yes. raise the truck to take some tension off the spring.
[img][/img] |
Thanks for posting this picture Ralph. The red ring on the right adjusts the height. The more you compress the coil the further the 2 ends move apart
and the higher the ride.
My goal is to lower the height of the vehicle but keep the coil tension the same. I don't see how that can be done. Agreed?
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rts551
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move the collar to the right (in the picture) or release tension.The shock will then compress more (shorten) as weight is put on it. Thus the
truck will be lower. Try 1/2 inch increments.
The tension is always the same when the weight of the truck is on it.
measure the coil with the weight on the truck, then loosen it 1/2 inch. lower the truck back down, measure the coil and it should be the same.
[Edited on 4-23-2015 by rts551]
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rts551
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Igor....This will help.
http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/preload_tech_article.php
or this one
http://fixbroke.tumblr.com/post/39188918110/spring-preload-a...
[Edited on 4-23-2015 by rts551]
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TMW
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I believe on the Tacoma it is a 1:2 ratio or close to that. 1 inch of coil over length results in 2 inches of ride height. So as Ralph suggest a 1/2
inch loosening will result in a 1 inch lowering of the truck. Since it is not a progressive spring it will function as before.
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: Originally posted by TMW | | I believe on the Tacoma it is a 1:2 ratio or close to that. 1 inch of coil over length results in 2 inches of ride height. So as Ralph suggest a 1/2
inch loosening will result in a 1 inch lowering of the truck. Since it is not a progressive spring it will function as before.
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By a 'progressive spring' you mean that more force is required to compress the coil when it's compressed than when it's extended?
Yes I assumed that all springs take less force at the start of compression and increases as the coil compresses. My thought was if I now allow the
spring to elongate the amplitude of the swaying would increase, causing less stability. I understand that in both cases the spring is equally
compressed at rest but when rebounding from coil compression one jumps back further than the other. But if the coil is not a progressive spring it
should not matter, or matter far less. Don't know if you can follow this.
Thanks for the 1 to 2 explanation. I don't think my mechanic is aware of that.
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BooJumMan
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In my experience with these types of coilovers, adjusting them up preloads the coil and effectively makes them ride stiffer, and lowering them vise
versa. There is a lot of debate about this. But in my experience with these (I've had Sway away's, ICON and KING on my 4Runners, same front
suspension), adjusting ride height changes the way it rides.
However if you are going to lower them just slightly, I doubt you'll get much of a difference. TMW is right about that... 1/2" turning of the coilover
will drop the truck about 1". Also, have you just tried turning them yourself? Its easier than you think. I adjusted mine pretty quickly. Once you're
happy, you should get aligned ASAP.
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